kukui

[ koo-koo-ee ]

/ kuˈku i /

the candlenut tree, Aleurites moluccana, of the spurge family, having grayish leaves and clusters of small white flowers: the state tree of Hawaii.

Origin of kukui

Borrowed into English from Hawaiian around 1815–25

kuiper belt, kukri, kuksu, kuku, kuku nor, kukui, kula, kulak, kulan, kulebyaka, kuleshov

Fine varieties were even made of the kukui (Aleurites moluccana).

Northern California, Oregon, and the Sandwich Islands |Charles Nordhoff
One of the conspicuous trees of the Hawaiian forests is the Kukui or candle-nut.

Northern California, Oregon, and the Sandwich Islands |Charles Nordhoff
It stands in about an acre of ground, ornamented with flowers, shrubs, and an avenue of kukui and koa-trees.

A Boy's Voyage Round the World |The Son of Samuel Smiles
Kukui (ku-k-i)--a tree (Aleurites moluccana) from the nuts of which were made torches; a torch.

Unwritten Literature of Hawaii |Nathaniel Bright Emerson

The Kukui tree is easily recognizable from afar off by the pale hue of its foliage, which appears to be dusted over with flour.

Fruits of the Hawaiian Islands |Gerrit Parmile Wilder